SIG Sauer is gearing up to roll out the Tread Snakebite SE, the latest in their Tread series of mid-range tactical rifles. The Tread series is SIG’s new line of direct impingement AR-pattern rifles and pistols chambered for 5.56 NATO, delivering performance without sacrificing any features.
The Snakebite SE comes with SIG’s Enhanced handguard and new hybrid muzzle device. It’s a carbine-sized rifle with a 16-inch barrel, 13-inch modular free-floating handguard and Cerakote Elite flat dark earth finish on the receivers and barrel assembly.
With a black buffer assembly, black magazine, black furniture, black handguard and black highlights, the Snakebite SE has a neat reverse two-tone look that makes it stand out. SIG tapped Magpul for the PMAG magazine and MOE-SL K stock and is using their own in-house PDW pistol grip.
The new handguard is slimmer, with a wide bottom for use against shooting bags or barricades, without a full-length Picatinny rail for a comfortable wrap-around grip. The handguard is modular, with M-Lock slots on both sides, top and bottom, to mount accessories, and a scallop at the front. It has a hard coat anodized finish as well.
At the front of the rifle is SIG’s new Hybrid muzzle device that offers some compensation for muzzle rise while still suppressing muzzle flash.
“The barrel is a little different from the other models as well,” said SIG Rifle Product Manager Patrick Hanley. “What we did on this was we went to a full FDE barrel and we used a high-temp Cerakote.” The barrel has an M4 profile with a 1-in-7 twist for use with heavy projectiles.
The rifle sports ambidextrous controls including the safety selector and magazine release, and the rifle comes with SIG’s 4.5-pound two-stage Matchlite Duo flat-faced, semi-curved trigger, unique to the Snakebite.
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One small touch on the Snakebite is that it has left- and right-side quick-detach sling points machined into the receiver extension. Other specifications include an unloaded weight of 7 pounds and an overall length of just over 35 inches. The rifle ships with a 30-round magazine, where available.
Pricing hasn’t been revealed for the Snakebite SE, but other rifles and pistols in the Tread series typically list around $1,000 to $1,300. For more information visit SIG Sauer online.